The Origin Of "Cool": How Black Culture Embodies "Cool" & Influences Trends For Mainstream
Summary
TLDRIn 'The Breakdown,' host Clarity explores the concept of 'coolness,' particularly its African American expression and its cultural significance. The show delves into the origins of cool, tracing it back to West African traditions emphasizing composure and nonchalance under pressure. It discusses how coolness has been a survival mechanism for African Americans, evolving from plantation life to a universal presence in entertainment, fashion, and beyond. Clarity highlights the innate nature of Black cool, contrasting it with mainstream interpretations that commodify it, and underscores its enduring influence on global culture.
Takeaways
- 🕊️ Coolness is an intangible human trait that has been globally associated with African Americans, reflecting a unique cultural brand of cool that has worldwide appeal.
- 👔 The concept of 'swag' is deeply ingrained in the way African Americans present themselves, from dressing stylishly to carrying oneself with a certain nonchalance and composure.
- 🌍 The origins of 'cool' can be traced back to Africa, where it is a reflection of ancestral presence and the way individuals stand and present themselves as part of their cultural heritage.
- 🎩 Historical figures like Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey exemplified the tradition of cool through their attire and demeanor, embodying a cultural standard of elegance and control.
- 🌊 The idea of coolness is linked to West African cultural concepts such as 'otutu' in Nigeria and 'effizi', which translate to 'cool' in English and are associated with composure and control under pressure.
- 🌿 The 'cool' trait is not just about appearance but is also tied to ceremony and the use of purifying elements like water and chalk, indicating a deeper cultural significance.
- 🌱 The African sense of cool has evolved into a critical mechanism for survival, enduring within Black America from the era of slavery to the present day.
- 🛑 The ability to maintain 'cool' under pressure is a survival trait that was necessary for enslaved Africans and has been passed down through generations.
- 🛍️ 'Cool' is an elusive quality that cannot be bought or sold; it is a part of the cultural identity of African Americans and is not a commodity to be marketed or commercialized.
- 🔍 Mainstream culture often misunderstands or tries to commodify the concept of 'cool', which is inherently tied to the lived experiences and cultural expressions of Black people.
- 🎭 The essence of 'cool' permeates every aspect of African American existence, from entertainment and fashion to politics and social interactions, and is a reflection of a deep-seated cultural identity.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video script?
-The main topic of the video script is the concept of 'coolness' and how it has evolved and been epitomized by African Americans throughout history.
Why does the host believe that African Americans are often seen as epitomizing 'cool'?
-The host believes that African Americans epitomize 'cool' because it is a cultural trait that has been passed down through generations, rooted in African traditions and perfected over centuries by people of African descent in America.
What are some examples of African cultural concepts that relate to 'coolness'?
-Examples of African cultural concepts related to 'coolness' include the Nigerian concepts of 'otutu' or 'effizi', which translate to 'cool' in English, and the Europa tradition's 'aitutu', which is associated with a level of mind and self-possession related to control over one's body.
How does the script suggest that 'coolness' has been a survival mechanism for African Americans?
-The script suggests that 'coolness' has been a survival mechanism by allowing enslaved Africans and their descendants to maintain control over their own actions and reactions, even in situations where they had limited control over their own bodies and labor.
What role did 'coolness' play during the middle passage and plantation life?
-'Coolness' played a critical role during the middle passage and plantation life as a way for enslaved Africans to maintain a sense of self and dignity, as well as a means to cope with the harsh realities of their situation.
How is 'coolness' expressed in modern African American culture?
-'Coolness' in modern African American culture is expressed through various aspects such as fashion, music, and the way individuals carry themselves, reflecting an effortless approach to life that is innovative and captivating.
What is the difference between 'Blackcool' and mainstream 'cool' according to the script?
-According to the script, 'Blackcool' is something that is lived and inherited, deeply rooted in cultural heritage, while mainstream 'cool' is often something that is bought and commercially driven, copying elements of black culture.
Why did corporate pop culture marketers in the early 80s employ 'cool finders'?
-Corporate pop culture marketers employed 'cool finders' to keep their companies relevant by identifying and incorporating the latest trends from the streets into their branding and marketing strategies.
How does the script describe the African American's ability to stay 'cool' under pressure?
-The script describes the African American's ability to stay 'cool' under pressure as a special brand of 'coolness' that comes from countless generations of refinement and is an expression of a culturally necessary personality trait.
What is the host's view on the future of African American 'coolness'?
-The host believes that the influence of African American 'coolness' will continue to grow and flourish for years to come, leading popular culture around the world.
How does the host define 'swag' in the context of the script?
-In the context of the script, 'swag' is defined as an effortless approach to life that is innovative, captivating, and deeply rooted in African American culture, something that is not borrowed but inherited.
Outlines
🕺 The Essence of Black Coolness
This paragraph delves into the concept of 'coolness' and its cultural significance among African Americans. The host, Clarity, explores the idea that this trait is not just a modern phenomenon but has deep roots in African culture, with a focus on West African traditions that value composure and nonchalance under pressure. The paragraph discusses how this coolness is expressed through dress, demeanor, and language, and how it has been passed down through generations, becoming an integral part of African American identity. It also touches on the commercialization of cool by mainstream culture and the inherent, lived experience of coolness within the black community, as opposed to its commodified form in white culture.
🎩 The Timeless Appeal of African American Cool
The second paragraph continues the discussion on coolness, highlighting its pervasive influence across various aspects of culture, including fashion, food, movies, and music. It emphasizes the inimitable and intrinsic nature of coolness, which cannot be purchased or simply observed but is a lived experience. The paragraph also critiques the practice of 'cool finders' in the 1980s, who were tasked with appropriating elements of black culture for commercial purposes. The summary underscores the unique, innovative, and captivating nature of black cool, which is seen as an effortless approach to life that is innate rather than taught. It concludes by reflecting on the historical and ongoing impact of African American cool on global popular culture, suggesting that this influence is set to continue into the future.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Coolness
💡Swag
💡Cultural Heritage
💡African American Cool
💡West African Culture
💡Nonchalance
💡Plantation Culture
💡Capitalist Engine
💡Blackcool
💡Mainstream Cool
💡Cultural Identity
Highlights
The concept of 'coolness' is an intangible human trait that has worldwide appeal and is particularly associated with African Americans.
The idea of 'swag' is a way of life for many African Americans and is deeply ingrained in their presentation and demeanor.
Historical figures like Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey exemplified the tradition of cool through their attire and composure.
The origins of 'cool' can be traced back to African cultures, emphasizing composure and nonchalance under pressure.
West African concepts such as 'otutu' or 'effizi' are early examples of the idea of cool, directly translating to 'cool' in English.
The 'cool' trait is not just a performance but a cultural inheritance passed down through generations.
African American 'cool' has been a critical survival mechanism throughout history, from slavery to the present day.
The ability to maintain 'cool' under pressure is a deeply ingrained part of African American culture and identity.
Corporate pop culture has attempted to capture and commodify 'cool' through the use of 'cool finders' in the 1980s.
The concept of 'cool' in white culture is often commercialized, whereas 'Black Cool' is a lived experience.
African Americans have an effortless approach to life that is innovative and captivating, which is part of their 'swag'.
The media often marvels at how African Americans maintain their composure in high-pressure situations, attributing it to a special brand of 'cool'.
The 'cool' demonstrated by African Americans has been refined over countless generations and is an expression of a necessary cultural trait.
African American 'cool' permeates every aspect of existence, including politics, social interactions, and entertainment.
The influence of African American 'cool' on popular culture is extensive and has led global trends for generations.
The legacy of African American 'cool' is expected to continue to grow and flourish in the future.
Transcripts
[Music]
peace and welcome to the breakdown
i'm your host clarity
[Music]
you know when you see it
[Music]
normally don't some people just seem to
be born with it
while others seem to not even know it
exists
oh to be fly to be fresh to have flavor
to have swag
all just a few popular terms for the
elusive intangible human trait that we
call
cool and when it comes to african
americans
our unique brand of cool has worldwide
appeal and universal presence
so what exactly is coolness and how has
it endured and evolved over time
and why do black people seem to
epitomize the essence of what cool is
all about
you know we gonna get into it that and
more right now
on the breakdown
the breakdown
from entertainers and athletes to
politicians or even the average person
on the street
it's no secret that black people
epitomize the essence of
cool swag is a way of life when fish
hits the fan
it's almost like my blood turns into ice
water
cool is something that is mostly
associated with
entertainment and fashion but it's
something that is ingrained even deeper
and the way that we present ourselves
it's not a coincidence that
malcolm x dresses in a brooks brothers
suit it's not a
coincidence that marcus garvey dresses
in royal regalia
and carries it off in a very austere way
because
he's embodying that tradition of cool
so while cool is often expressed in the
way we dress the way we move
or the way we turn a phrase the question
remains what exactly is it
and where does it come from the birth of
the cool
like everything else that matters in
this entire world
can be traced to africa it is
us reflecting our ancestors presence
how we stand how we present ourselves
it's not a performance we brought that
over with us
the cool that i'm talking about is the
cool that is cultural
it is something that comes from our
grandfathers from our uncles from our
mothers
is something that we acquire as a part
of our culture
it looks into west african
cultures in which composure
control and the kind of nonchalance
under pressure is the standard operating
procedure
perhaps another part of the reason those
outside of black culture often miss the
mark when trying to capture
african-american cool is because the
essence of cool goes back generations
upon generations
centuries before slavery back to west
africa and the ideas of cool rooted in
african culture such as the nigerian
concepts of otutu
or effizi which literally translate into
english
as cool in the europa tradition
there's this concept known as aitutu
level of mind that's associated with
water with something that's cool
it's almost a self-possession that is
related to control over one's body
it also kind of rooted in ceremony
in water in chalk in
essences that are purifying and
cleansing
at tutu in this literal translation
you're speaking specifically about being
cool
being calm and being relaxed about how
you maintain a particular disposition in
a situation where you find yourself
where i said these is you now taking
elements to show how successful you are
how stylish you are how cool you are
how relatable you are
even after such an arduous journey the
african sense of cool
remained it evolved into a critical
mechanism for surviving plantation life
one that has endured within black
america for hundreds of years
all the way up to the present day during
the middle passage uh enslaved africans
come to the united states
and who makes its way through plantation
culture
and even if someone doesn't have or has
limited control over their
own body and their own labor you still
can't control the way that people do
things
and that's what cool is my grandfather
was born
to men and women who were enslaved
he migrated to mississippi
if he wasn't cool he could die
that's how immediate danger was if we're
not
in control they get control
the awareness that we have to have even
today
i think that's what they had i think
that's where we got it
and i think that hyper vigilance was
probably
like inherited from people who
again had to be hyper vigilant and ready
always to make a move
and you had to appear as if you weren't
from
fashion to food from movies to music the
essence of cool can be seen
everywhere yet at the same time it
cannot be found on a shelf in your local
convenience store
you just can't buy a can of cool or can
you
as it turns out the element of cool is
so elusive that in the early 80s
for example corporate pop culture
marketers employed what they called
cool finders people whose job it was to
keep the company relevant
by hitting the streets soaking in the
latest trends and bringing their
findings back to headquarters
where they would be incorporated into
the company strategy for branding and
marketing
you have a capitalist engine that needs
to be fueled and the best thing to sell
is cool
is the concept of cool white culture
gets their
concept of cool usually commercially so
it's something that's usually done by
copying what is done by black culture
and looking at it as oh this is
something i can put on
something i can wear something i can buy
something i can listen to
as opposed to something that i live
blackcool is something we live
mainstream cool is something you buy
swag
it is an effortless approach
to life that we have that is so
innovative and so
captivating we don't have to go out and
watch that on television
we don't have to buy it we don't have to
borrow it
we don't need anyone to tell us how to
do it we're born with it
on so many occasions mainstream media
personalities have wondered out loud how
this or that black person was able to
keep their cool
under so much pressure be it president
obama
brushing off his attackers or this
athlete
or that public figure considerable
attention has been given to the black
person's ability to stay
cool under circumstances that would have
caused others to lose their cool
little do they know the special brand of
cool demonstrated by these african
americans
comes from countless generations of
refinement
it is their expression of a culturally
necessary personality trait that was
birthed in africa
and perfected over centuries by people
of african descent in america
and around the world it goes through
every aspect of
our of our existence not just
entertainment and fashion
but also in the political realm and
social realm as well
i look to my people for the context
clues i'm not necessarily looking to any
other races to tell me
how i should define my swag and my black
identity
i always tell people you know when god
made me he broke the mold
there will never be anyone else to walk
in the likeness of
my swag and what i bring to the table as
a proud african-american man
who is all about style
yeah he got some swag now from ancient
concepts like efficient 022 in nigeria
to the reconstruction era cool of the
early 1900s
to the bebop and jazz era of the 40s and
50s
to the funk disco and rock era of the
60s and 70s
and the 1980s hip-hop culture all the
way
up to present day african american cool
has led popular culture around the world
for generations
as far as anyone can tell that influence
will continue to grow
and flourish for years to come that's it
for now
i'm clarity and i'll see you next time
on the breakdown
the breakdown
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